Top 49: Power Pairings

These Men Got A Little Extra Help Making The Top 49

Helen Keller once wrote: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” It's a powerful principle, and one that many of the men featured in this year's Top 49 list seemed to take to heart. From Grammy Award-winning artists to video console architects, some of the world's biggest movers and shakers benefited mightily from the power of collaboration. Keep reading to see which dynamic duos made the most of their partnerships.

Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake

There have been many great bromances in the history of mankind, but none have been more entertaining than the friendship between Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. These kindred souls met for the first time in 2002 at the MTV Video Music Awards. Fallon was still a cast member on Saturday Night Live at the time, and Timberlake was making his debut as a solo artist. The plucky pair hit it off instantly and collaborated over the years, first on SNL in hilarious skits like The Barry Gibb Talk Show, and later on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Each guest spot brought them closer together and eventually paved the way for – wait for it – Timberweek!

The greatest thing to ever happen to late night television, Timberweek brought Fallon and Timberlake together for five full nights of booty-shaking music and uproarious sketch comedy in March 2013. Their collaboration delivered instant classics like a barbershop quartet version of "SexyBack," a Michael McDonald-inspired version of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and another installment in their now legendary "History of Rap" series. The telecasts produced huge ratings, of course, but more importantly, they showed just how much fun you can have on TV.

Timberlake continued to show his affection for Fallon in April when he penned his pal's entry for Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. “He’s a brilliant comedian, a talented musician and a spot-on impersonator,” he wrote. “Jimmy has redefined and recharged late-night television with a genuine excitement and energy that gets under your skin.” We agree, and we can't wait to see what these two BFFs do for an encore.

Jay Z and Kanye West

Kanye West and Jay Z have spent much of their careers engaged in a heated game of one-upmanship. When Kanye recorded "Homecoming" with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Jay Z responded by recording "Beach Chair" with Martin immediately afterwards. When Jay Z became the first rapper to close Coachella in 2010, Kanye made sure to close it the following year in an even grander fashion. Granted, they did contribute to each other's singles during that period as well, but there was always a sense that they were competing directly with one another for alpha dog status. That's why fans were so excited to see these two titans put their rivalry aside in 2011 to collaborate on Watch the Throne, an epic album, which debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and earned the duo seven Grammy Award nominations. The project helped cement their friendship and they've since become tighter than ever, appearing at red carpet events and touring together all around the world.

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